Mascara | Eye Makeup

The focus on enhancing your eyes and making them stand out while accentuating their beauty, dates way back in history. The Egyptians used kohl around their eyes to minimize the reflection of the light into their eyes. Later, Tints and Kohl were used to accentuate the eyes. The first mascara product was invented by Eugene Rimmel in the 19th century. The word "rimmel" still means "mascara" in several languages, including Portuguese (rímel), Turkish, and Romanian.

The word mascara derives from the Italian maschera, which means "mask," from Middle Latin masca or Arabic Maskhara. Modern mascara was created in 1913 by a chemist named T. L. Williams for his sister, Mabel. This early mascara was made from coal dust mixed with Vaseline petroleum jelly. The product was a success with Mabel, and Williams began to sell his new product through the mail. His company Maybelline, a combination of his sister's name and Vaseline, eventually became a leading cosmetics company. Maybelline still has many award winning mascaras. The modern tube and wand applicator did not appear until 1957, when it was introduced by and founded by Helena Rubinstein. The modern tube and wand applicator was more appealing to the market than the old "cake" mascara.

Mascara is an essential feature of any makeup kit. A swish of the mascara wand can do wonders for you. Mascara can open up your eyes and make them appear bright and beautiful. Navy Blue mascara will make the whites of your eyes appear whiter. Mascara will thicken, darken and lengthen your lashes. You can pick up mascara in a range of shades offered by many cosmetic brands.

When it comes to mascara, one size does not fit all or all occasions. There are almost too many choices when it comes to mascara. So which one is right for you? Here you can factor in your lash needs and explore the different benefits offered by mascara.

First you need to decide if you want regular washable or waterproof formulas. Waterproof mascaras stay on through tears, humidity, rain and swimming, and can be removed with a makeup remover. Washable mascaras are easily removed with soap and water or your regular facial cleanser. Waterproof mascara is not suitable for everyday use. They can be drying to the eyelashes and need to be carefully removed with an oil-based remover to dissolve the mascara makeup. Contact lens wearers should stick to waterproof mascara formulas, as they break down more slowly, minimizing the chance of any flakes getting into the eyes.
Long wearing mascara is best for office wear. Long-wearing mascaras such as Unstoppable by Maybelline lock in lasting lash looks.
For an evening out, go in for thickening or volumizing mascara to give your eyes a glamorous look. Volumizing mascaras increase the diameter of each lash for a lush, dramatic look. This would be the classic Great Lash by Maybelline type mascara
Thinner lashes will become fuller with a thickening or volumizing formula Volume-building mascara is ideal for those with sparse lashes. These types of mascara formulations contain polymers and wax that help build on the lashes.
Shorter lashes can be enhanced with a length enhancing mascara. Lengthening mascaras darken and extend the tips of lashes, making them look longer. Glide on the mascara to cover the tips of the lashes. Such mascara wands have short bristles that are tightly packed. Certain make up brands have developed a two product mascara system specifically designed to make the lashes look longer. This mascara consists of a white base coat of primer that is applied to the eyelashes and left on to dry for a minute. After this coat has dried a second coat of colored mascara is applied over the white base. As the white base coat divides all the individual hairs and extends them, this product will make the eyelashes look longer.
Longer lashes will really benefit from curling mascara. Curling mascaras, feature special elastic fibers to curl lashes without an eyelash curler.
Hypoallergenic mascara is best suited for those with a history of allergic reaction. Always test the mascara on the back of your ear before you buy it. Keep a lookout for any itch or rash. If you develop this, you may be having an allergic reaction to the product.
Defining or Separating mascaras coat and separate each individual lash with zero clumps for a clean, natural look.
Lash-caring mascaras contain gentle conditioners to help build fuller natural lashes.
Multi-benefit: Want it all? Some mascaras may combine benefits so you don’t have to decide.
If your lashes are blonde, go in for thickening and lengthening mascara and apply it in layers.